Spiritual connection with nature

Sustaining Health – Bringing Balance to Your Life

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As babies we learn to find our balance. We discover how to effectively balance our bodies on our own two feet and thus begin to take our first steps. Soon, we’re running about, achieving countless physical feats and continually honing that physical stability as we grow.
Our parents don’t just want to see us walking though. They are also concerned that we start talking. And we too want to communicate with those around us. In turn we flex our mental muscles and learn to speak. Throughout our childhood, we are pushed to sharpen our mental skills and increase our cognitive capacity. And as we grow into adults, we are told that this capacity will determine what job we get and what kind of life we will live.
Though we put a great deal of value on physical and mental balance in those early years of life, the more we mature, the more we must train our spiritual balance in order to not only achieve success, but truly live a happy and healthy life. It is that deep internal balance that allows us to maintain our equilibrium. No matter how balanced our bodies and minds, without a balanced soul or spirit, we will never be able to fully utilize our physical and mental aptitude.

Setting aside the Time

At times, you may think that empowering the soul takes much more than training the body or mind; however, I would suggest that all three require similar effort. Of course this is somewhat dependent on your personal strengths and natural talent. Nevertheless, at a certain point it boils down to time. How much time have you actually spent focusing on each of these three aspects of yourself; the physical, the mental and the spiritual?

How many hours did we spend memorizing math formulas or rewriting essays in school? How long did it take you to polish that business proposal before the meeting? How much time do you spend at the gym each week? Now, how many minutes do we find to simply sit peacefully and do “nothing”? This seems to be the hardest for most of us in the modern world.

Setting aside the time to focus on the growth of our soul can seem impossible. It is easy to use our physical goals and mental requirements as excuses for not empowering our soul. To say, “I need to focus on this project. I can’t afford the time to watch the sunset or go sit under a tree.”

A shift in perspective can help you get over this hurdle. If you take the time to focus on your spiritual health, you will begin to see how that improves both your mental focus and physical strength.

For example, if you meditate, you need to quiet the mind and relax the body. To do so can require an enormous amount of mental and physical focus. Thus as we train our soul, we inextricably must train the body and mind to be in a state of not doing. For most of us, this is very difficult, but it is an invaluable skill for everyone.

Once we realize that spiritual practice can also be a mental and physical workout, it is much easier to allow yourself the time to polish the soul. In time, we can understand the innate relationship of the body, mind and soul. Only then can we begin to hone all three aspects of the self with each action we take. No matter our singular focus, we are always strengthening and training our whole self. This is a state of true balance.

Energizing the Soul

Feeding the soul can be deceptively simple. Just like the body, the time we offer the soul directly corresponds to its health. The toughest endeavor can be finding the time to fortify your spirit. For indigenous people, this time was built into their daily life. Today, we must re-learn how to integrate the soul into our routine.

Here is a simple practice you can use each day that can lead to profound changes in your body, mind and soul. This is a teaching I received from the indigenous Huichol tribe in Mexico during my apprenticeship with Don José Matsuwa. I did not make this up; it is not my own invention. Instead, the Huichol people have been availing themselves through such practices for thousands of years.

Earth & Sky

Finding your place in the Center

Walk slowly, visualizing the love of Mother Earth percolating up through your feet, into your lower body. Simultaneously, embrace the light of Father Sun, as it enters through the top of your head (at the fontanel) and travels towards your chest. Now imagine the love and light meeting in your heart. As these two elemental powers merge, feel how they form a figure eight at the thymus gland, what the Huichol refer to as the entranceway to the heart. Allow the two energies to mix, adding to your kupuri (life force). Continue to walk slowly as you maintain the figure eight.

This simple practice ties in the three aspects of self. You are physically moving, walking on the sacred altar of the Earth. You are mentally visualizing your connection with what lies beneath and floats above. And you are relaxing the senses in order to become aware of the movement of energy within yourself.

Don’t be tricked by the simplicity of this exercise. The challenge is to do it regularly. If you practice this enough, eventually each step you take becomes a sacred act of balance.

The Huichol are taught this and many other spiritual practices of harmonizing with nature from a young age. Since many of us may have missed out on fostering our spiritual balance as children, we may have some catching up to do.

This journey of manifesting balance is a lifelong one. Our environment provides us with countless and ever-changing variables, which may make the process frustrating at times, but never boring. If we dedicate the time and truly strive to equally empower the body, mind and soul, we may learn to walk a sacred life. We can face the ups and downs with a centeredness and self-confidence, with a trust in the overwhelming power of balance stemming from nature all around us. Breathe in the light, embrace the love and begin your journey into balance.

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Brant Secunda is a shaman, healer and ceremonial leader in the Huichol tradition of Mexico. He is the Director of the Dance of the Deer Foundation – Center for Shamanic Studies and has been teaching worldwide for over 30 years. He is also the co-founder of the Peace University and the Huichol Foundation and is the co-author of Fit Soul Fit Body – 9 Keys to a Healthier, Happier You.

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Shamanic practice of nature walk in europe

Ancient Wisdom for the Modern World        

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Indigenous cultures are often referred to as “primitive.” However, today we are continuing to discover how their ancient wisdom can help us in the modern world. From sustainable multi-crop agricultural systems to more comprehensive understandings of our environment and our universe, scientists are finding themselves reaching into the past to discover the breakthroughs of the future.

If we look at the history of mankind, indigenous cultures around the globe were able to sustain a balanced existence far better than most modern societies. Tribal peoples maintained a lifestyle of harmony and balance with nature. Today we find ourselves striving to regain that innate connection with our natural world. 

There are countless examples of this rebirth of “archaic” knowledge. Biomimicry is one such example. We can see the evolution of clothing and apparel to more closely resemble our natural movement. From shoes that allow us to walk or run with a more natural gait, to the sharkskin-inspired swimsuits used by Olympic athletes, the high-tech industry is looking at what was once considered low-tech inspirations. Indigenous cultures survived for thousands of years through bio mimicry; by embracing nature instead of trying to conquer it.

Throughout modern history and into the industrial revolution, there arose a constant urge to separate ourselves from nature. People were striving to build larger walls, bigger buildings and to increase the overall productivity of the land. Mono-crops and other industrial farming and livestock techniques became increasingly ubiquitous.

In more recent years, scientists and environmental researchers have begun to realize that maybe indigenous practices weren’t so primitive after all. In Mesoamerica for example, the multi crop technique often referred to as the “Three Sisters” planting system, utilized the natural symbiotic relationship of corn, squash and beans. Various tribes planted these three foods together in a simple, yet highly efficient multi-crop method. This sustainable and environmentally viable practice nurtured various tribes for thousands of years. The Huichol people of central-western Mexico continue to employ this multi-crop method to this day.

Physics too has become more and more closely aligned with indigenous beliefs related to the cosmos and our universe. The popularized multiverse theory sounds amazingly similar to the teachings of the universe I was given by Don José Matsuwa (renowned Huichol shaman and healer). When I was first adopted into the Huichol culture as his grandson, Don José described to me how at night, the sun sets into the underworld and is then reborn each morning in the east. Though I respected this revered elder for his amazing spiritual wisdom and psychic abilities, I wasn’t so quick to accept this teaching. I figured I would teach my teacher for a change and so I began to describe my modern-world understanding of the daily cycle of the sun. I explained that though it appears the sun is setting into the horizon, it is actually rising in Japan. 

Don José responded, “Who told you this wild story!” and then followed up with, “and what is Japan?” I respectfully challenged him, saying, “Grandfather, this is a proven scientific fact.” I used a stick to draw a rough globe in the dirt and struggled to explain an elementary fact of the modern world to an old shaman living in the remote mountains of the Sierra Madre. After a few moments, Don José responded, “Well, I’ll believe you if you believe me.” He said, “Why can only one of us be right? There are many parallel realities coexisting at the same time. If not for this, only one tradition would be right and everyone else would be wrong.” This was a teaching I would never forget. It was at that moment that I realized I didn’t have to find THE answer, but rather strive to see the multitude of dimensions that can provide the answers for each moment in life.

In the Huichol culture and in most indigenous cultures, the shaman learns to see and tap into an alternate universe; a world of spiritual energy that surrounds all of us whether we are aware of it or not. A shaman thus could be seen as a ancient physicist of sorts, venturing to make and maintain a connection between our conscious world and an unseen hidden universe.

It is clear that more and more parallels are being drawn between modern world knowledge and ancient indigenous wisdom. As it continues to mature, science is tapping into this wisdom and learning the lesson that sometimes we should listen to our elders. 

Personal Story • Merging Ancient Wisdom with Modern Tech  from 6x Hawaii Ironman Triathlon World Champion Mark Allen

I raced the Hawaii Ironman six times before finally emerging victorious. I was winning everywhere else around the world, but I was constantly falling short on the Big Island. I tried training more than all of my competitors. I tried using the best technology, but something was still missing. 

It wasn’t until I made a connection to Brant and the Huichol, that I was able to bring everything together into a recipe for success. Finally, I was able to feel at home within the harsh environment of Kona and quiet my mind in order to connect with an alternate reality; a reality in which every step I took was an offering to the island, which once made me sulk in fear. 

From then on I was able to race not to prove something to myself or others, but rather as an act of gratitude for what nature was allowing me to do. I was able to call upon nature for energy; to summon what the Huichol call kupuri (life force) from the sun-scorched lava fields and the unrelenting ocean. Winning suddenly took a back seat to experiencing the wonder and intensity of my relationship with nature.

I believe we can all benefit by embracing the nature-based wisdom of indigenous peoples. On the one hand we can use this wisdom to improve our scientific understanding and entrepreneurial inventions, but we should also strive to utilize the tried and true practices of ancient cultures to better ourselves and create a more harmonious and sustainable spiritual existence. We can all learn from people such as the Huichol, who have maintained generations of peace and happiness through a holistic approach to healthy living. 

If we see ourselves as a part of nature, we inherently remove the obstacles keeping us from living our most natural life. And when we truly learn to tap into the life force Mother Nature has to offer, we begin to realize our own potential for empowering the world we live in. 

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Brant Secunda is a shaman, healer and ceremonial leader in the Huichol tradition of Mexico. He is the Director of the Dance of the Deer Foundation – Center for Shamanic Studies and has been teaching worldwide for over 30 years. He is also the co-founder of the Peace University and the Huichol Foundation and is the co-author of Fit Soul Fit Body – 9 Keys to a Healthier, Happier You.

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Huichol Shamanism for the Modern Life

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Just Beyond the Veil

By Joel Hersch

Life in the modern age moves fast—we communicate with immediacy, we travel with the intent of arriving at our destination as quickly as possible, and, with the help of technology, our daily experience is inundated with information. But with so much happening all around us so fast, all the time, and a world that asks us to constantly be moving forward—up a ladder, over the next hill, toward a better job, a new degree, the next societal objective—it becomes difficult for many to remember how to slow down and tune into the subtler, less tangible forms of learning.

Brant Secunda, the founder of The Dance of the Deer foundation and Shaman in the Huichol Indian tradition, works to help people integrate elements of traditional Shamanism into their modern lives. With Shamanic practices serving as a tool set, his aims are to help us create a deeper sense of connection with the natural world, which in turn, can help to form a greater degree of peace, balance and identity within ourselves, and ultimately inform us on how to live and work more effectively, sustainably, and with a heightened level of personal and interpersonal connectivity.

“One of my goals is to help people wake up and become aware of who they are and where their life is going,” Secunda says. “The idea is for people to be able to empower themselves, and when we do that, we empower the world. If we want things to be better in the world, we have to start with ourselves.”

In the 1970s, during two consecutive six-year apprenticeships alongside the late Don José Matsuwa, a healer, master ceremonial leader, and renowned shaman in Mexico’s Huichol Sierra, Secunda—a New Yorker—was adopted as a grandson by the elder, and through years of trial and study, became a sanctioned Huichol shaman. Don José, who passed away in 1990 at the age of 110, imparted to Secunda the importance of educating the outside world on the Huichol way of life, leading him in 1979 to create the Dance of the Deer Foundation Center for Shamanic Studies, with the aim to disseminate and preserve Huichol culture, practices, and traditions. This indigenous group, with a population estimated at approximately 34,000 in Mexico, is considered to be one of the last tribes in North America to have preserved their pre- Columbian traditions.

Today, Secunda teaches at seminars and leads spiritual retreats around the world, expressing the multi-faceted ideologies of Shamanism with groups such as the World Health Organization in Germany, doctors and psychologists, and a variety of people who’s jobs require high degrees human compassion, understanding, and empathy.

“I’m trying to integrate Shamanism into the lives of people from modern walks of life—the world of western medicine, lawyers, social workers—which will hopefully help them be better people, and better at what they do.”

Some of it is obvious—being a good person, an honest person, a loving and kind human being, but then there are aspects of becoming “awake” and “open” to these traits not by simply choosing to behave this way. Instead, Secunda describes Shamanistic practices that nurture a sense of being, rather than simply a way of behaving.

“We use the model of Huichol shamanism in order to take us there—as a vehicle to be a better person, or a more powerful human being,” he says. “Huichols say the role of Shamanism is to help us complete our lives, to find our lives and help us complete ourselves as humans. It helps us find out who we are as people, what it is we’re supposed to be doing here on the earth, which is one of the oldest questions we’ve ever asked ourselves. ‘Who am I?’ and ‘Why am I here?’ Shamanism is one of the tools we use to help people transform themselves and answer those questions.”

A key component of Shamanism is a belief in animism, that all things in the natural world— everything from fire, the earth, plants and animals—possess their own innate form of wisdom. A Shaman’s path cultivates the power to become wholly aware of the wisdom that exists there, which includes a wide spectrum of power, from simply feeling and expressing that relationship with nature, to a form of extra-sensory knowledge that allows a Shaman to manipulate reality, tapping into a spiritual realm, conduct healing, and communicate with an alternate reality.

The Dance of the Deer does not claim to offer or promote a pathway for students to become a Shaman—a journey that Secunda says many are interested in, but that requires a degree of such absolute commitment, time, energy, and spiritual resolve that very few are prepared for the journey—but that it includes many concepts and practices within Shamanism that Secunda believes people from all walks of life can learn and benefit from.

In an interesting juxtaposition to modern ideas of personal progress, a core concept in advancing the spiritual self is taking the time to do less, remembering to let silence sink in, allowing time for reverence of the world around you, being still, being quiet, and listening. In the realm of Shamanism, in countless ways, less is more.

“We sometimes forget because we’re so busy, sitting in front of a computer all day, or what ever it is that we’re doing, to connect with the sunrise or sunset,” Secunda says. “It’s a powerful way for us to be a part of nature and the spiritual world.”

Breath in the sound of the river. That sound makes your soul beautiful. And that has the effect of making you physically beautiful—literally, as well as metaphorically,” he says. “If you’re angry, for example, you carry yourself differently and it comes through you physically. While, if you listen to the river, and allow peace to grow inside of you, that will become a part of your outward physicality and expression.”

By cultivating peace within ones self, Secunda explains that a form of spiritual equilibrium begins to flourish, which reaches into every aspect of experience. And while people may pick up on those moments of something a tune to spiritual wakefulness—perhaps a sense of serenity, perfection, and a feeling of awe for the world coupled with clarity—all too often those experiences of bliss come and go without any deeper understanding of what created it, where it fades away to, and what summons it back. It might be summarized in the notion, to have a relationship with the moment, and remembering to grant it your awareness and presence.

Secunda says it comes down to truly listening, and quieting the mind of all the distractions the modern world throws our way.

Don José, Secunda’s teacher, used to tell him, in regard to all the commotion of the world and the noise it can create within the self, “How will they ever hear the ancient ones whispering into their heart and soul all of the wisdom of the universe.”

That whispering Don José used to describe to Secunda is what it all boils down to. The story and the peace and the beauty are there, all around us, but they are subtle—they are delicate ripples in the water that only the utmost intentional focus, and the continuous practice of fine tuning the senses, will unveil. One might consider the nature of a stereogram vision puzzle—a 3D image hidden within another image that will only come into focus when the viewer settles the mind. The trick to seeing the hidden picture is relaxing the eyes, focusing not on any one part of the picture but allowing the mind to passively take the whole page in. Sometimes the trick is doing less.

“We, in the modern world, so often think we have to do something to better ourselves. To speed up; to try harder,” Secunda says. But sometimes, paradoxically, the hurdle is slowing down.

Franz Kafka, the late European author who produced fiction of the philosophical and existential variety around the turn of the twentieth century, distilled the concept quite poetically:
You need not leave your room.

Remain sitting at your table and listen.
You need not even listen. Simply wait.
You need not ever wait, just learn to become quiet and still and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you, unmasked.
it has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet.

“Don José used to say, ‘Just wait and see what the gods give you,” Secunda says of his old maestro. “Don’t even look. If you have a vision, don’t even take the first vision—wait. Be patient. See what’s behind it.”

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Drum and Harvest Ceremony

Autumn Equinox and the Harvest Ceremony

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Happy Equinox! May we manifest the harmony within ourselves to help bring balance to the world around us.

We returned from the Drum and Harvest Ceremony in Mexico earlier this week. The time in the Sierra Madre was beautiful and intense as always. Don Jacinto, the leading shaman in the ceremony, exuded kupuri (life force) as he chanted for hours on end. The intricate songs summoned the spirits from the four directions and the sky realm to bless the people, along with the harvest of corn and squash. The children shook their rattles as mothers cradled the youngest babies.

Drum and Harvest Ceremony Altar

One aspect of the ceremony is to help take the spirits of the children to places of power that they are still too young to visit. While their bodies may not yet be able to make the journey, their spirits fly through the Nierika (spiritual doorway) to connect with the dreaming gods and goddesses of these sacred places. In this way, they are invigorated with the energy of the diverse landscape so that they may live a long and healthy life.

Gathering for the harvest ceremony

Huichol women and children gather for the harvest ceremony.

After starting at sunset last Friday, Don Jacinto chanted late into the night, well past 1:00 a.m. Accompanied by the sound of the drum, the ancient songs echoed up into the mountains. Even the crickets seemed to be in awe, silently listening in a state of trance. After a few hours of rest, corn stalks were cut from the fields, and the altar was built as the sun prepared to make its way over the horizon.

 

The rattles and God’s Eyes from each child were brought out of the temple hut, and the altar was filled with fresh fruits, corn, squash, and tamales. Nawa (a fermented corn drink) prepared by various families was poured into jugs and gourds. As the rays of sunshine flowed over the distant peaks, the drum and chants commenced once more and continued with only brief breaks until early evening.

Young Huichol girls participate in the ceremony

Young Huichol girls participate in the ceremony

As soon as the ceremony finished for the day, lightning strikes danced atop the mountains all around us. It began to rain as thunder grew closer. Eventually, a heavy downpour lulled us to sleep and kept the village dreaming until around 3 or 4 a.m. when the elders began to gather around the fire once again.

On Sunday morning, the fresh corn and squash were cooked on the fire, and then everyone lined up to take a piece of both. Before feasting, each person placed their small piece of the harvest onto the drum to be blessed by the shaman and then offered a few kernels of corn and a pinch of squash to the fire. The taste of Huichol corn is far heartier than what you find in most stores or farm stands around the world. Each bite contains an earthiness and fullness that is hard to describe. This ancient staple represents the healing of the body for the Huichol, and indeed, you can taste the difference in the food grown on the land that has been stewarded for thousands of years by such a grounded culture.

 

Before dispersing back to our nearby huts and distant villages, everyone gathered around the ceremonial fire to offer one last prayer. Together, the entire village called out to Tatewari (Grandfather Fire), to give thanks for a successful ceremony and for all those near and far who supported this sacred gathering.

 

Thank you for being a part of the ceremony from afar. Even if all you did was read this message, you are connected within the concentric circles of community. 

Hopefully the positive effects of the ceremony will continue to ripple out into the world.

We wish you a bountiful and balanced autumn season!

With Love & Gratitude,

Brant Secunda + Nico Secunda

Autumn in the Huichol Sierra

Autumn in the Huichol Sierra

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Don José Matsuwa

Honoring the memory of Don José Matsuwa

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Today we remember the passing of Don José Matsuwa. 29 years ago Don José transitioned from this world. His long life, which lasted 110 years, is such an inspiration and his vision continues to guide us at the Dance of the Deer Foundation in all that we do.

Born in the Sierra Madre Mountains of Mexico, Don José grew up surrounded by many great shamans and healers; however, it wasn’t until he was a young man that he decided to dedicate his life to the way of the mara-akame (shaman). While his uncle, a respected shaman and ceremonial leader, and other shamans in his village were able to see the spirits and interact with nature in mystical ways, Don José felt blind, unable to see these mysterious energies. So he decided to dedicate his life to learning the ancient ways.

Don José spent 10 years living alone in the forest to learn the language of nature. He then underwent a traditional apprenticeship with a revered shaman, who could transform himself into the spirit of a jaguar during ceremonies. He went on many pilgrimages to sacred places of power and vision quests; his longest being an astonishing 15 days, without food and water.

Around 40, after completing his training, Don José married Doña Josefa Medrano, who later also went on to become a respected Huichol Shaman, healer and ceremonial leader. Together they had 13 children and many grandchildren.

Later in his life, a young white man from New York was found unconscious, after having hiked into the Huichol Sierra in search of the Huichol villages. A shaman from a neighboring village had a dream and sent his sons out to rescue the man, who lay dying in the remote mountains in the heat of the dry season.

Don José had dreamed of this young foreign man as well and summoned for him from the village which had rescued him. Upon meeting, he adopted the young bearded white man as his grandson and put him through a traditional apprenticeship. 12 years later Brant Secunda received the transmission of power ceremony and Don José told him that we would go on to share the ancient wisdom of the Huichol culture with people around the globe.

During the following years, Don José traveled to the United States and Europe approximately 15 times to announce that he was leaving Brant in his place to carry on the Huichol traditions.

Together Brant and Don José founded the Dance of the Deer Foundation in 1979. The mission of the foundation was and remains to share the teachings of Huichol Shamanism around the world and to support the spiritual heritage of the traditions by giving back to the Huichol people.

In 1989, Brant and his wife Barbara gave birth to their son Nico Secunda. Later that year, Brant, Barbara, and Nico traveled to Don José’s village in Mexico, where Don José blessed Nico and gave him his Huichol name, MATSUWA (pulse of life). Nico would go to be the first white person to graduate from the Drum & Harvest Ceremony at 6 years of age and he would follow in his father’s footsteps, dedicating his life to the way of the mara-akame and to supporting the Huichol people.

On November 6, 1990, at the age of 110, Don José passed away.

Before he died, he had a few words for those closest to him. To Brant he had a lengthy message. One of the things he said was, “Tell your people to follow the deer all the way to their heart.”

With sincere gratitude and love, we thank you Don José Matsuwa for your life and for the long journey you walked. Your vision continues to guide us each day.

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Shamanism the Power of Trust

Trust – Believing in others begins with believing in yourself

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Each and every person has their own relationship with the word TRUST. Do we generally trust others? Do others trust us? What does it mean to have trust in someone?

How easy it is for us to trust others is based heavily on our individual past experiences. Like many aspects of the self, our tendencies to trust and distrust are molded into our psyche from a young age. A single poignant moment in our life can dramatically alter these propensities. Whatever the case may be, we all have our own unique understanding of trust and an individual aptitude toward trust or distrust.

Many of us find ourselves questioning the trustworthiness of others. “Are they lying to me?” we may ask ourselves. “Are they not telling me everything?” These and countless other questions fill our minds, clutter our thoughts, and drain our kupuri (life-force).

So, how do we keep our own sanity in a world that sometimes seems full of dishonesty?

Obviously, simply trusting everyone and everything blindly is not a recipe for success. It is important, however, that we continually hone our ability to both trust and discern truth from fiction. The path to finding this balance starts within ourselves. If we are unable to trust our self, how can we ever fully trust somebody else?

Now another question arises: how do we trust our self? And what does that even mean?

By remembering that we are a mirror of our environment, of the natural world that surrounds us, we can start by reminding ourselves of our faith in nature. We can focus on believing the truths of nature: that the sun will rise again tomorrow, that the seasons will continue, and that the universe will consistently rebalance itself. Finding even this trust can be difficult amidst the apparent chaos of the world today, and like many things in life, that first step is sometimes the hardest.

When we reaffirm our faith in nature everything else becomes clearer. By focusing on the sunrise, for example, we support our natural circadian rhythm, which innately helps us to be more in balance, both hormonally and spiritually. When we watch a sunrise, our problems fade away, time seems to slow down, and we inherently retune our bodies to the natural rhythm of Mother Earth. A byproduct of such daily rebalancing is that we maintain and enhance our internal equilibrium. Over time, we can maintain peace and tranquility amidst external chaos. This alone empowers trust in ourselves; a trust that we can face the obstacles in our life with self-confidence.

Through a process of trusting nature, we thus learn to trust ourselves. By building that sustainable trust within our heart, we learn to trust others and, most importantly, trust in life itself.

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Huichol altar at Drum and Harvest Ceremony 2017

Drum & Harvest Ceremony • Autumn 2017

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We arrived in the village just before sunset. After eating a light meal of beans and fresh handmade tortillas with salsa, we prepared ourselves for the ceremony. People from various villages had traveled to partake in the harvest ceremony. Elders, men, women, children, and newborn babies all coming together to celebrate, to give thanks, and to pray. Everyone gathered around the fire to offer prayers for a good ceremony. Then the leading elder shaman began to chant quietly, the sound slowly growing as the flames of the fire strengthened.

At one point, a heavy rainstorm had us all taking shelter in huts and under strung-up tarps for a few hours in the middle of the night, as thunder and lightning filled the sky. Once the rain passed, everyone gathered around the fire at the center of the village once again, and the ceremony continued.

At sunrise, an altar was constructed in front of the temple. Corn stalks were tied up, creating a goal post of sorts to set the trajectory of our spirits, as we journeyed to Wirikuta (the Land of the Gods) and Raunasha (The Mountain Where the Sun was Born). Between the goal posts, a god’s eye (Tsikuli) was secured like a target, helping to keep our aim centered and true with the protection of the ancient ones. Then a twisted piece of twine was tied to the god’s eye and stretched tight to an arrow in the earth about 10 meters away. Finally, small balls of cotton were placed along the twine; each one representing a place of power at which we stop during the spiritual journey to Wirikuta.

Once the altar was constructed, freshly picked husks of corn and squash were piled in front of the altar. The mothers laid out dishes with offerings of fresh fruit, blue corn tamales, and small thick tortillas. Beside each plate, arrows with small gods eyes were stuck into the earth. The number of gods eyes on each arrow representing the age of one of the young children in the circle.

 

As the sun broke free from the clouds and rose higher in the sky, the drumbeat continued to follow the call and return of the shamans’ chanting. The crisp sound of the tree gourd rattles being shaken by children unified the entire circle in focused intention around the dancing flames of the fire. The harmony of the male and female elders singing intricate verses, whispered into their ear by Kauyumari (Elder Brother Deer Spirit), is like the sound of a flowing river, with the stream of chants neither being pulled or pushed, but rather naturally circulating with a clear intention of reaching the ocean of energy within the Nierika (sacred doorway).

With small breaks for folk music and folk dancing, along with time for timeless jokes and laughter, the ceremony continued through the heat of the day. As the sun reached its zenith in the sky, food offerings were shared amongst everyone in the village. Replenished with this fresh nourishment, the chanting and drumming commenced once more as we approached the final stages of the ceremony, in which the shaman summons our spirits back from sky realm, through the Nierika, and into our hearts.

The wind began to wisp up the mountain slopes and through the village, carrying with it a cool breath from the river below. As the refreshing breeze broke through the heat of the day and as the sun starting caressing the lush plateau to the west, the ceremony drew to a close.

Our hearts content and souls empowered with the energy unified from the four directions, the circle slowly dispersed outward to shaded rocks under the carao and calabash trees. The ebb and flow of life in the Huichol village continued as dusk began to wash over the Sierra. With the night settling in, everyone found their place within the village, the fire still burning in the center of it all.

When the flames began to dwindle, someone awoke to add fresh food to the fire. Soon a few of the elders gathered around the fire, and the sound of chuckles gradually grew into laughter as they retold stories from the past and teased one another about things old and new. Eventually, the joy around the fire drew more and more people from the dream world back into the circle.

Eventually, the shaman started to chant, and the drumbeat followed once again. The other shamans chimed in, echoing the songs like sound bouncing through a valley. Then the song changed, indicating it was time to dance. The women and men created two lines, skipping around the fire with the rhythmic beat of the drum. This was the Dance of the Deer.

Honoring the birth of the sun, we danced until the sun burst forth from behind the distant mountain peaks, the golden light warming the village like the smile of a good friend.

Now it was time to bless the freshly harvested corn and squash that had been stacked in front of the altar. Together, all of us – women, children, and men – were given ears of corn and pieces of squash cooked on the fire. One by one, the leading shaman blessed each person and their individual bounty. Once blessed, we offered a small portion of our food to the fire before enjoying it ourselves.

That first bite of crisp corn and soft squash was truly delicious. We had been fasting from corn and squash since the fields were planted in early June, so everyone was especially thankful for this meal.

The shamans gathered for the one final song, to honor Mother Earth and give thanks to the spirits that had joined the ceremony. This marked the close of the ceremony and beginning of another season.

Following the ceremony, the various families gathered together as we dispersed the materials and supplies which we had brought with us on the long journey. With a deep sense of gratitude on both the giving and receiving end, each and every person exchanged positive energy, and through this process, we all became even closer, and even stronger family.

It was time for us to leave, to make the long journey from this home back to another. Before leaving the village, everyone gathered around the fire to make one final prayer to Tatewari (Grandfather Fire). Together we prayed out loud, calling out for ourselves, our loved ones, and all of creation.

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Huichol Girl Laughing in hut window

Journey into the Huichol Sierra

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Chronicles of the Spring Ceremony by Nico Secunda

We made it home! After a beautiful and empowering journey to the Huichol in Mexico, we arrived back to our home in Santa Cruz, California last night. My father and I, along with a small group of long-time students, partook in the spring ceremony to honor Tate-Urianaka (Mother Earth) as she awakens from her winter slumber.

Hopefully you received my previous message about the ceremony, which I was able to send out from the road just in the nick of time before losing our link to the modern world through cellular reception. Thank you to all of you, for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. Your support means a lot and could be felt throughout our journey.

I always look forward to crossing that invisible boundary between the modern world and the ancient Huichol landscape. Watching the bars on the cell phone disappear brings a wonderful feeling. A weight is lifted. The obligations of modern life, which can at times steal our time and distract us from the more meaningful endeavors of the spirit, are switched off.

Crossing that invisible border we enter into the Huichol territory. We continue through rolling hills of mango and papaya trees, then up the incline of switchbacks into the mountains of the Sierra Madre, eventually reaching the end of the road. Here, we must transition from roadway to waterway, in order to press on deeper into the Huichol territory.

We made it home! After a beautiful and empowering journey to the Huichol in Mexico, we arrived back to our home in Santa Cruz, California last night. My fat

One of Don José’s sons is awaiting our arrival at the river. He greets us and along with a few other Huichol men, we load into three boats and push off to make our way upriver. The moist air kisses our cheeks as the boats head against the current.

As the sun sets behind us, we reach a familiar bend in the river and finally the village comes into view. This is a sight I have seen countless times and once again I am filled with a sense of returning home. I grew up coming here time after time and have a deep gratitude for the connection to this place that is now strongly rooted within me. The boats scrape onto the banks and the young Huichol men on the bow jump onto the moist soil to tie up to large rocks half submerged in the water. One by one, we all step ashore.

Now, the last leg of the journey to reach the village. In single file, we follow the steep winding trail to the uppermost plateau perched on the hillside overlooking the river and rugged peaks that reach skyward in the distance. “Keiaku!” (Hello) and “Buenas Tardes,” young children greet us as they run down the trail to help carry our mountain of bags filled with gifts. When we reach the upper village, we walk through the gate at the village entrance and see the fire in the center burning like a beacon to which we have been summoned.

We make our way around the fire, greeting our Huichol family and the elder shaman who, at over ninety years old, will be leading the ceremony. People from numerous villages have come to take part. The firewood has been gathered. The food offerings are prepared. Candles in the temple are lit, and the altar in front of the fire laid out. Chairs are placed for the shamans, and now we are ready for the ceremony to begin… (end of part 1 – check back soon for the second installment of this chronicle)

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Tahiti - photo by Mark Allen Ironman Triathlon World Champion

Tahiti – Realizing a Childhood Dream

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In my early teens, I saw a group of photos from Tahiti. They showed deeply contoured lush island peaks surrounded by emerald blue ocean lagoons. It was the South Pacific, French Polynesia; the very islands that some say their Hawaiian neighbors originated from, traveling across vast expanses of ocean from one paradise to another. In those first moments lost in the pictures in the magazine in front of me, I hoped that some day I’d be able to make the journey to Tahiti to see such amazing beauty with my own eyes.

But the years ticked away, one decade then another. Life has its own timeline, and although I’d had a number of opportunities to go there over the years, it just never panned out. Fortunately, the window opened this year and I boarded an Air Tahiti Nui plane bound for Papeete, the largest city in the islands and the capital of Tahiti. Unfortunately the flight landed well past sunset, forcing me to wait another night on top of the 40+ years I’d already spent dreaming of seeing the islands first hand.

Tahiti Sunset Clouds - photo by Mark Allen Ironman

Sunset in Tahiti • photo by Mark Allen

It was worth the wait. Sunrise was a flush pink and golden sky that met the powdery blue ocean. Moorea in the near distance had each of its sharp jungle-covered peaks capped in cottony clouds. How could it get any better!

I soaked it in, way in. The experience was new. The process was familiar. You see as a young boy I had another dream, which was to find a teacher, a real teacher. Those weren’t quite the words I had for it at the time, but it was a yearning to be guided and learn from someone who knows the workings of the universe beyond the ordinary constraints of life. Someone who could help me connect with the greatness of all life in a way that only a person who had dedicated their life to knowing the Great Spirit could bring. That dream was answered twenty-five years ago when I met Brant Secunda in Mexico and began to study with him.

Tahiti Intense Clouds - photo by Mark Allen Ironman

Intense Cloudy Sky in Tahiti • photo by Mark Allen

 

Over the past two and a half decades I’ve heard him emphasize again and again that shamanism is about developing a relationship with nature: with the light, the plants and rocks, the trees and flowers and all the animals, and Mother Earth.

In those first moments breathing in the beauty all around me in Tahiti I realized this is what I do every day. All around me no matter where I am, there is some aspect of nature that I become aware of; that I connect with, that I can draw perspective from and be reminded of how I’m a part of nature’s greatness. It takes away isolation, stress; it resets my trust in the bigger picture of life. It’s priceless, and I realized that although I’d waited over forty years to experience the beauty of Tahiti, that I’d been experiencing beauty in a deep and profound way with Brant and through his teachings since 1990.

He speaks about how a flower is no more or less important than a rock, and that a lake or ocean is no more or less important than a mountain peak or vast endless grasslands. I’m blessed to make it to Tahiti. I’m also blessed to be seeing every day as a chance to experience the “Tahiti” in my own backyard.

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Brant Secunda with Don José Matsuwa and Doña Josefa Medrano

Journey into Healing

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In 1970 at 18 years old, intrigued by a book of Carlos Castenada. I left my hometown in New Jersey and set out on a journey to Ixtlan as a spiritual tourist in search of Don Juan. En route, I met a Huichol schoolteacher, who gave me the name of his family’s village – a five day walk away.

Soon, I found myself hiking through the Sierra Madre Mountains, in search of the mysterious Huichol natives. With the sun blazing down on me, I followed a narrow deer trail hoping I was still heading in the right direction. The Mexican towns, along with the rest of the modern world quickly faded behind me.

The Brazil Trees and the thick underbrush enveloped me, as I continued deeper into the Sierra. After three days and no sign of any village, I found myself hopelessly lost. I had drunk my last sip of water and tried to calm the panic rising inside of me. Pressing on in hope of finding the village, dehydration and sun exposure overtook me. The trees around me began spinning. I collapsed, sinking into unconsciousness, as feelings of disgust, anger and finally fear overtook me.

As I lay dying on the parched earth, I dreamt of circles full of light spinning in front of me. Visions of deer and an old indigenous man appeared. Suddenly, cold water hit my face. Startled into consciousness, my beautiful dreams and visions faded. Slowly opening my eyes, above me loomed the dark faces of three natives. They told me in Spanish of an old shaman in their Huichol village who had dreamt I was dying at this spot and sent them to save me two days earlier.

Still weak, I was led through the mountains to a clearing with mud and stick huts, the smell of tortillas cooking and sounds of children playing. Amazed at this scene and that I was alive; I was taken to their shaman Don Juan (of the same name, but not the one of Castenada fame). I remained there for two weeks. The people told me of another shaman, Don José Matsuwa, in a nearby village who had also dreamt of me: He summoned me to his rancho. The same three natives who had originally saved me led me to his hut.

Shortly after meeting Don José I was put in a cave for five days and five nights with no food or water. I was told this was my initiation. If I lived, I would continue as an apprentice to this renowned shaman and healer.

12 years later I completed my apprenticeship. I had been adopted as Don José’s grandson. He had taught me the ancient wisdom of healing and ceremony and we had become close companions on the path of the shaman. Following my training, I was sent back to the modern world, to help share the secrets of the Huichol, to heal those in need and to conduct ceremonies to bring balance to the Earth.

Since that time I have been traveling the world, striving to fulfill the vision of my teacher. Thousands of people have come to me for healing. From every corner of the globe and from all walks of life. Many of them have tried everything western medicine has to offer before finally resorting to shamanic healing. It seems to me that people today are more in need of healing than ever before.

Personal Stories of Healing • from Marilyn Del Duca

I was diagnosed with Lyme’s disease, and antibiotics were not helping.
I went to Brant to ask for help.  He did a series of healings for me that
healed the Lyme’s with no residual effects.  Years later when I suffered a
bad fall and tore my MCL, his healings made it possible for me to avoid
surgery.  These are just two of the ways his healings have  helped me over
the years.

Another time, my niece was trying to get pregnant.  I told her not to worry – if she wasn’t pregnant by the following June, I would take her to meet Brant at the Summer Solstice, as I knew he had good luck with women’s issues.  He did a fertility healing for her, and she was pregnant within a month.  Her first baby was born the following April, and she had a second baby 20 months later, blessing me with two beautiful great-nieces.

Shamanic healing searches out the root of illness. Often a person’s ailment stems from something much deeper than what is felt on the surface. This is common with psychological and spiritual trauma, but also with physical ailments. The shaman strives to find the source of the illness and to extract it from the individual.

For many, shamanic healing may seem far-fetched or simply archaic; however, I have witnessed time and again its relevance for those very people who don’t even believe in it. I have had numerous people come to me after trying “everything else” and searching desperately for healing. One such man came to my office in Santa Cruz, California for a healing over 15 years ago. As soon as I met him, he asked if he needed to believe in the shamanic healing I was about to conduct. I said “no” and he replied, “Good, because I don’t.” His doctors had given him two weeks to live with his pancreatic cancer. He ended up in remission and lived another ten years.

I am so grateful for my journey to the Huichol. I am thankful for the countless healings I witnessed while studying with Don José, which allowed me to believe. I remember one of the first things he told me. He said, “Until you learn to believe, you will never really learn.”

You can be told the earth is sacred or that shamans can dream of the future or heal terrible diseases, but until you experience it yourself, you can never fully believe. Experience is one of our greatest teachers.

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